Exercise machine



Jan- 7, 19 1- c. A. WILSON 2,227,526

EXERCISE MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 193s INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to exercisers and is especially adapted to be combined with a piece of furniture resembling a davenport.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an exerciser that is power driven, requiring no physical effort for operating the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exerciser for exercising the limbs of the patient to any degree of exercising, depending upon the physical condition of the patient.

A further object of the invention. is to provide this exercising while the patient is lying down.

A still further object of the invention is to provide hand holds that will exercise the arms, hands, back and in fact all parts of the human anatomy.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawing, specification and claims to follow.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the exerciser as it would appear when not in use.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the exerciser showing the relationship of parts therein.

Figure 3 shows the exerciser in operation, this view is also taken in section.

Figure 4 is a plan view, having parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

In the drawing:

I is the main body or frame of the exerciser. The body I is of hollow form of couch-like outline with a portion of the upper wall removable, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, for convenience in using or storing the apparatus. 2 is a cross shaft reaching between the side walls of the frame and secured thereto by pivoted bearings 3, fixedly mounted to the shaft 2 are arms 4, these arms have extensions or adjustable arms t secured thereto by fastening means 'I. At the outer end of the arms 5 is a cross shaft 8, which extends therebetween, having a suitable soft material 9 thereabout for engaging underneath the knees of the patient. It has been found that it is not necessary in some cases to have this cross shaft 8 as it may be left out.

Pivotally mounted to the cross shaft 8 or to the ends 5 is another set of arms IEI, having still another adjustable pair of arms I I held thereto by the fastening means l3 working within the slots I2 for adjusting the length of the combined arms from the shaft 8 to the foot rest 20.

Pivoted side links or bars I l are mounted to the bar supports It within the frame or body of the exerciser at It. The opposite ends of the links or bars I4 are pivotally mounted to the arms ill and II at I8. The links I rest upon the brackets IT. The normal position of the exerciser is shown in Figure 2, but when the arms 4 and II] are raised, as shown in Figure 3, the links maintain a more or less parallel relationship to the arms 4. The arms 4 and their adjustable extensions 5 and the arms I and their adjustable extensions II may be each of one piece without being adjustable, as shown. I do not wish to be limited to adjustable arms. On the outer end of extensions II a cross bar I9 is fixedly mounted having a foot rest 20 pivotally mounted.

In operation the patient places one or both feet on the foot rest 29, the machine is operated through the rotating of the shaft 2 by the crank iii, the crank 2| is oscillated back and forth by the connecting rod 22, having its opposite end connected to the crank arm 23 of the speed reducer 24, the speed reducer receiving its power from the motor 25 anchored securely to the frame or body of the exerciser.

The power mechanism operating the connecting rod 22, crank arm 2|, which revolves the shaft 2, raises the arms 4 and arms I0 and the associated assemblies from the position shown in Figure 2, to that shown in Figure 3, so that when the patient is lying on the platform IA and having his feet on the foot rest 20, this action will bend the knees, ankles and hip joints, eto., giving him the desired exercise.

Hand holds 26 are provided on the arms 4 so that the patient may grasp these hand holds thereby raising the upper part of his body from a lying down position to a sitting position by the downward action of the arms I.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular form of mechanism illustrated, as other forms of mechanical combinations may be employed, still coming within the scope of the claims to follow.

What is claimed to be new is:

1. An exercising device comprising a couchlike support having a body-receiving platform, said platform including a removable section, a shaft mounted in the support below the platform, arms connected to the shaft, a motor for swinging the arms relative to the shaft in a reciprocatory movement, a second set of arms connected to the first mentioned arms, and a bar connected to the support below the platform and to the second set of arms to define the path of movement of said second set of arms.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, including a stop to limit the extreme forward movement of the bar, the said arms, when the bar is in cooperation with the stop, being disposed in a plane below the platform.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1 including a shaft transversely connecting the second set of arms, and a covering on the shaft intermediate the arms to provide a cushion for the legs of the user.

CHARLES A. WILSON. 

